Faults N Earthquakes Flashcards
What is a fault?
A fracture between two blocks on the earth’s crust
What are three main types of faults?
Normal fault, reverse fault, strike-slip fault
What is the force is caused by a normal fault?
Tensional force
What force is caused by a reverse fault?
Compression force
What is a strike-slip fault also known as?
Transcurrent fault
What is the name of a horseshoe-shaped area where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur?
Pacific ring of fire
What is considered an active fault?
has happened one or more times in the last ten thousand years
What is an inactive fault?
A fault that does not display any seismic activity
What are the earthquakes caused by?
The sudden release of energy from the earth’s crust
Where does the sudden release of energy from the earth’s crust usually occur?
Along the faults
What is the definition of “hypocenter”?
The location beneath the earth where the earthquake originates
What is the definition of “epicenter”?
The point on the ground’s surface directly above the focus
How does a tectonic earthquake occur?
When rocks in the earth’s crust break due to geological forces
What are the two major categories of seismic waves?
Body waves and surface waves
What is a seismograph?
An instrument used to record the shaking of the ground
What is used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake?
Richter scale
What are the earth’s layers?
Crust, mantle, outer core, inner corr
What is the solid inner core mostly made of?
Iron and nickel
What are the causes of earthquakes?
Fire, landslide, liquefaction, tsunami
What direction do the rocks move relative to eachother in a norma fault?
Downward
Which of the following faults is characterized by rocks moving upward due to compressional forces?
A) reverse fault B) normal fault C) strike-slip fault D) left lateral fault
A) reverse fault
